SXSW (occasionally still known as South by South West) is an annual celebration of independent music, film and technology, held in Austin, Texas. Unlikely, challenging projects are born there and all the brightest of the creative world (plus Selena Gomez) attend. Midway through the festival, we take stock of what we've missed. A NASA Space Social Happens Basically nerd porn come to life, NASA's Space Social brought real-life astronauts Ron Garan, Nicholas Skytland, John Yembrick and others face to face with fans of Princess Leia and Neil Armstrong for socialising and space-related chats. We can only imagine that the hors d'oeuvres were served floating through the air by waitresses wrapped in aluminum foil. Interactive Vending Machine Stage Lets You Tweet at It Annoying party iPod DJs are set to rejoice this week at the Doritos vending machine stage, where onlookers are invited to tweet in their (hip hop- and rap-specific) song requests using the hashtag #BoldStage. Taking the choose-your-own adventure shtick one step further, the six-storey machine's LCD screen interface flashes simulated confetti, smoke machines and lasers in accordance with more Twitter directions. Control freaks need to let their hair down too, right? Grumpy Cat Upstages Everyone Kendrick Lamar, Justin Timberlake, Dave Grohl and James Franco were also in town for the festival, but really who are they to compete with Grumpy Cat? After queuing in earnest, fans got what they wanted — the inimitable feline looking characteristically unimpressed before curling into a ball and retreating. This kitty is more diva than Kimmy K and Lindsay Lohan combined. Meow! Hater App Launches to Bring Balance to the Social Media Force Despite its obvious benefits (stalking and empowering minority groups) social media unfailingly makes you hate society and your loved ones. Somewhere between #instabrag and your part-time model friend's profile picture number 300, it became difficulty to feel genuinely happy for the success of others. The world might need the new Hater app, a tool that allows users to dislike status updates, rant enthusiastically and band together over shared misery and disdain. If you don't have anything bad to say, don't say anything at all. https://youtube.com/watch?v=v01h6BsUgTY Shaq Attack is Well Tall Shaquille O'Neal looked down on everyone while still being really humble as he walked the trade show. A towering god amongst men. Google Village Is Like Willy Wonka's Factory for Tech Intent on achieving world domination, Google has morphed out of the computer screen and into the real world with the grown-up's answer to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. Apparently the future will be a utopia filled with food trucks, free forums that teach people how to read HTML, Google pinball machines aplenty and even an Adidas talking shoe that can be programmed to give the wearer constant positive chatter. Sounds annoying. Images via SXSW and Grumpy Cats. Google Village image by Leimdorfer.
Colourise Festival is bringing together Aboriginal artists and creative minds to create an interactive, mixed-media experience like no other. The festival aims to reimagine Brisbane through the eyes of Indigenous Australians, transforming several parts of the city into a live art experience. eARTh is the name of the mixed media element of the Colourise Festival. Two separate tracks will work their way from the start point at Musgrave Park, through the city, where walkers will experience a "reimagining of the city — imprinting images, sounds, dance, people and music of the land onto the streets of Brisbane". Attendees are welcome to join at any part of the walk, with performance times and maps available on the website. Path one will be open from 5.30pm on July 8-10, while path two will open from 5.30pm from July 9-11. Each path will showcase different works and ideas, imprinted on different parts of Brisbane. The Colourise Festival has many more events to check out: head over to their website for more details.
Australia's first urban surf park is one step closer to reality, with the team behind URBNSURF this morning confirming they've scored $28.3 million in funding for their much-anticipated Melbourne facility. Billed as the world's first full-size Wavegarden Cove surfing lagoon, URBNSURF Melbourne is set to transform a 2.1-hectare space near Melbourne Airport into a surfer's wet dream, churning out as many as 1000 two-metre waves each hour. The lagoon itself will boast six different state-of-the-art surf zones, catering to newbies, professionals and everyone in between, with enough room for around 84 surfers every hour. What's more, it'll be open year-round, which means you won't be forced to battle the freezing waters of Port Phillip Bay to get your surf fix come winter. Backing up the beach-style breaks, there'll be a concept retail space, a fully-equipped surf hire shop, a beach club and a plethora of food and drink options for those post-surf appetites. URBNSURF Melbourne will also play host to a surfing academy, fitness classes and high performance coaching and training options. Construction on the lagoon is set to kick off next month, with the hope Melburnians will be riding waves there by April 2019. URBNSURF's Sydney surf park, which was given the go ahead last year, is slated to be up and running by late 2019. URBNSURF Melbourne is slated to open in April 2019 at 394 Melrose Drive, Tullamarine. We'll keep you updated on its progress and you can visit urbnsurf.co for more info.
Snapchat is hardly the most discerning of mediums. If you had to break down the subject of all content sent on the service, the vast majority of snaps would surely consist of people's faces perched atop cartoon animal bodies, drunken selfies with indecipherable words slapped across the screen, and an obscene number of dick pics, sexts and various videos somehow including the presence of a penis. You can't expect that much more from a service founded by the king of all dudebros. Anyway. Snapchat is about to get all grown up. According to the Wall Street Journal, the much-loved startup is introducing some news and advertising to your drunken, sext-loving feed. Set to launch this November, these new inclusions are being planned under the moniker of Snapchat Discovery; a service to complement the already released Snapchat Stories. And it's already generating a lot of interest. Lots of brands eager to get into the snap-loving teen market have already started accounts and are now looking for ways to maximise their presence with users. Branded messages with 'Snapchat celebrities' are already a standard practice and straight-up advertising seems like the next logical step. There are reportedly a dozen companies already in line for the service including MailOnline, the online component of The Daily Mail. Allowing users to read news content and watch small portions of TV and movies, Snapchat's self-destruction of messages outwardly seems like a tidy way to deal with copyrighted content. Other than that, it's unsure as yet how any of it will really work. This is the startup's first move to monetise content and everyone understandably has a whole lot of questions. For instance, how many ads for Guardians of the Galaxy am I going to have to wade through before I can see my friend's daily work selfie? At what point can I get my dinner snaps sponsored by Dominoes or Pizza Hut and live off the wonderful oily spoils? Is Snapchat the future of journalism as we know it? The answers: at least one, soon hopefully, and for the sake of all humanity let's hope not. Via Mashable and Wall Street Journal. Images: jeffgoldblum236.tumblr.com and superwholock4lyfe.tumblr.com via Buzzfeed.
Finally having international travel back on the radar is one thing, but actually deciding where in the world to jet off to on these first long-awaited post-pandemic adventures? Well, that's been the tough bit. You want somewhere that scratches all those travel itches at once — from kicking back poolside with cocktails and devouring all the foods to exploring natural landscapes and wandering unknown cities. Luckily, we've found the perfect itinerary for all that and more: a road trip through the heart of Southern California, soaking up the best of Los Angeles, Greater Palm Springs and San Diego along the way. The ideal place to dip your toe back into travelling, this destination promises to tick off all those long-held holiday cravings in one neatly wrapped vacay. What's more, with carriers like United Airlines having dramatically increased their regular routes between Australia's east coast and the States, it's now easier than ever to get your travel-starved self over to the USA. Put in your leave request and start dreaming because this one's the full package. LOS ANGELES As a city, LA has big all-rounder energy, with just as much to tempt culture vultures as it does gourmands — and everyone in between, too. So you might as well do it all, right? To kick off your stay with fresh eyes and an illuminating history lesson, take a guided spin through the city with Architecture Tours LA. You'll hit a bunch of iconic architectural spots as you zip around Hollywood, taking a fascinating deep-dive into both its aesthetic and its history. Trust us when we say it'll colour everything else you see on your travels. If your attention's further piqued by the city's movie-making past, there are countless ways to get your kicks, but a trip through the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is a must. Here, you're in for an immersive exploration of LA film culture, guided by a collection of outstanding installations and exhibitions. A culture fix of a different kind lies high up at the famed Getty Center, where you could easily lose a whole weekend meandering through art-filled galleries, roaming the grounds and soaking up unmatched vistas across LA and beyond. Acquaint yourself with more primo views kicking back atop one of LA's countless rooftop bars. A newer addition to the scene is Grandmaster Recorders, brainchild of Icebergs alums Monty and Jaci Kulodrovic. They've transformed a historic recording studio into a wining, dining and partying playground; complete with a contemporary Italo-Aussie restaurant that's making waves, and a rooftop bar pairing standout cocktails with views of the Hollywood sign. Fancy a closer look? You can work off your gastronomic indulgences with a hike up to the famed letters with tour crew Bikes & Hikes LA. It runs both a 90-minute and three-hour experience, promising breathtaking views, top-notch photo opps and the chance to scope out some iconic filming locations. As for resting your head after your jam-packed LA days, you'll find a winner in the Thompson Hollywood. A downright dreamy aesthetic flush with foliage and gold-hued accents graces the lounge and lobby downstairs, while onsite cocktail haunt Bar Lis is a Hollywood party destination in its own right. [caption id="attachment_901177" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Greater Palm Springs[/caption] GREATER PALM SPRINGS Once you've had your fill of bright lights and urban energy, it's time to hit the road and venture a couple hours east to soak up the majestic, windmill-dotted landscape of Greater Palm Springs. To kick things off with a healthy dose of relaxation and a nature fix, get yourself to Desert Hot Springs, where the idyllic Two Bunch Palms resort will help de-stress body and mind — against a serene, leafy backdrop, no less. The property's scattered with mineral pools fed by waters from a 600-year-old natural spring, while the onsite spa serves a menu of healing treatments ranging from chakra-balancing massages to detoxifying adaptogen wraps. Book a night or two in one of the modern cabins to really lean into the experience. More breathtaking nature awaits you on the cruise up San Jacinto Peak, aboard the world's largest rotating aerial tramway. Offering eye-popping panoramas as you climb, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is your go-to for lofty thrills and a truly unique perspective. [caption id="attachment_901178" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Kimpton, Visit Greater Palm Springs[/caption] The buzz and colour of downtown Palm Springs proves equally infectious as you explore the sophisticated homewares stores and lively streetside dining spaces. For vibrant Southern Cali fare and guaranteed pup cuddles, make a date with Boozehounds — a sprawling indoor-outdoor venue that's filled with foliage, does a mean margarita and is about as dog-friendly as they come. Time your visit right and you can feast all your senses simultaneously at one of PS Underground's riotous themed dining experiences, which dish up live tunes, considered eats and a whole lotta fun. You might find yourself singing along through an Elvis-inspired dinner party, or perhaps feeling the love at a time-tripping Woodstock-themed gala. For a luxe sleepover — or simply just a few poolside cocktails matched with views from the highest point in town — head to the Kimpton Rowan Hotel. It's a plush, modern stay right in the heart of the action, boasting a collection of top-notch wining and dining offerings, including a stellar rooftop pool deck and bar. [caption id="attachment_901187" align="alignnone" width="1920"] San Diego Tourism Authority[/caption] SAN DIEGO Another two-hour road-trip south delivers you right into the beer-loving urban heart and soul of San Diego. The buzzing bayside city is a multifaceted one that's generous in a vast array of offerings — from the culinary to the cultural and plenty in between. Catch the city's coastal charms on full display with a session on the water with the San Diego Sailing Tours crew. With the wind whipping your hair, sun on your face and a bay full of gliding boats as your backdrop, you'll score an unmatched perspective of your holiday base. Then, you'll want to set aside at least a day to immerse yourself in the abundant offerings of famed cultural precinct Balboa Park. From the Institute of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Us, to the San Diego Natural History Museum and Fleet Science Center, the 1200-acre site is a treasure trove of cultural goodness. [caption id="attachment_901184" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joanne DiBona for San Diego Tourism Authority[/caption] If you don't mind a queue, one spot to put on your breakfast radar is Morning Glory — a bold, high-energy eatery in the Little Italy district that takes no bookings but totally excels at creatively-charged brunch fare. Pancakes are a specialty here, including a supremely fluffy souffle version, while savoury fiends can look forward to the likes of a lobster omelette and the calzone-like khachapuri. Another culinary highlight sits 12 storeys up at Mr A's Restaurant — a fine-dining institution set atop the Manchester Building, where modern European flavours are heroed against sweeping views of the glittering city skyline. It's quite the show-stopper. [caption id="attachment_901188" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberly Motos for San Diego Tourism Authority[/caption] If you're a sucker for absolute ocean frontage, well-crafted drinks and food with some serious flair, make the trip up to La Jolla to be swept up in the elegant charms of The Marine Room. Perched right on the water, this iconic venue's restaurant is a must for special occasions — though watching the waves crash in from a front-row seat in the Lounge, enjoying small plates and memorable cocktails, makes for a pretty magical evening, too. And of course, if you've got a penchant for craft beer, consider this city your paradise, with a beer bar or brewery located on just about every corner of Downtown. From international names like Stone and Ballast, to smaller homegrown champions such as Pizza Port and Societe, there's enough here to keep even the fussiest beer fiend supremely satisfied. To base yourself in the heart of the action, try the chic home-away-from-home that is The Pendry San Diego — a Downtown gem with an aesthetic that deftly fuses modern luxury and old-world elegance. It also boasts a whole sparkling collection of hospitality venues located right onsite. Top image: Visit Greater Palm Springs Concrete Playground traveled as a guest of United Airlines, LA Tourism and Convention Board, Visit Greater Palm Springs and San Diego Tourism Authority.
It's been just over a year since Amazon finally launched in Australia, promising an array of goods delivered quickly and affordably, as shipped from Melbourne and Sydney, and about five months since the company blocked Aussies from purchasing off its cheaper, larger international sites. Thankfully, it has just backflipped on the later. To rewind a bit, on July 1, Amazon announced that purchases from its international platforms would no longer be shipped to Australian addresses because of a change to Australian GST laws, which applied the standard goods and services tax of 10 percent to all online overseas purchases. Previously, GST had only applied to transactions over $1000. Aussies could instead shop on the Amazon Australia store, which had only around one percent of the range available in the US, or use a shipping forwarding service But this morning, Thursday, November 22 — less than five weeks out from Christmas (if you're counting) — Amazon backflipped on its decision, announcing it had reopened its US and other international sites to Aussies. In a statement published on news.com.au, Amazon said it had listened to "customer feedback" and made the necessary changes to its website to allow the company to comply with the new GST laws. The great news is the international sites are accessible right now, just in time for the Black Friday Sales. The not-so-good news is that at the moment only items that Amazon stocks and sells are available to us, while the company works out how to apply GST to third-party items. If you haven't yet started your Christmas shopping, here's a great excuse to start. via news.com.au
Tasmania's delightfully sinister Dark Mofo is back for a sixth year, and the lineup is bigger and bolder than ever. Taking place in the run up to winter solstice, the festival is all about embracing the shadows and flaunting the freaky. Hosted by the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), it explores ancient rituals and mythology through music, performance and art installations — all while showcasing artists, performers and ideas that are otherwise overlooked in mainstream culture. While the main event is scheduled to run between June 13 and 24, this year's festival will also feature a 'prelude weekend' from June 7 to 10. A sneak peek before the full fest, it'll include exhibition openings at Mona and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, and an orchestral quartet at the Port Arthur Historic Site. A symposium titled Dark and Dangerous Thoughts will also run across June 8 to 10, using film, literature and talks to explore moral and ethical issues within contemporary society. Capping it all off — and setting the tone for the entire festival — is Société Anonyme, a masked costume ball where opulence and mystery are to be expected in equal measure. When the festival proper rolls around on June 13, patrons should expect Dark Mofo's "usual mix of extreme, experimental and eclectic programming", according to creative director Leigh Carmichael. Crowd favourites such as the nude solstice swim and the Dark Park playground are all due to return, with the latter hosting ogoh-ogoh purging and burning, plus Ryoji Ikeda's light installation spectra. Germany's experimental industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten are also back, performing their piece (and studio album) Lament, which focuses on the outbreak of WWI. Elsewhere, the schedule is full of phenomenal female names. Laurie Anderson will bring her series of essays titled All the Things I Lost in the Flood to life on stage through music, video and spoken word. She has also partnered with new media artist Hsin-Chien Huang to create virtual-reality experience Chalkroom, as well as creating a 'sound bath' using her late husband Lou Reed's instruments alongside guitar tech Stewart Hurwood. Inuk throat-singer Tanya Tagaq will perform her fierce album Retribution, backed by a choir, while Grammy Award-winning crooner St. Vincent is slated to perform on June 15. Other highlights include a further exploration into the occult, with the Salamanca Arts Centre hosting a grotesque photography exhibition from William Mortensen and holding a ritualistic tattooing session for members of the public. And, for those keen to catch Soda Jerk's latest, their new film work Terror Nullius will screen as part of the fest. Plus, in a huge tribute to David Lynch and Twin Peaks, Dark Mofo will create their version of the Bang Bang Bar. It'll host intimate gigs like you'd see at the series' roadhouse — including sets by Rebecca Del Rio, who featured in the show as well as Lynch's Mulholland Drive. Dark Mofo takes place in Hobart between June 13 and 24. Tickets on sale from 11am on April 10 (with a subscriber pre-sale from 6pm on April 9). For more information, visit the festival website. By Melanie Colwell and Sarah Ward.
If there's one thing we know about the future, it's this: battery life shouldn't be an problem. No, we don't have a crystal ball, time-travelling telephone booth or DeLorean. We're just making a guess thanks to the large number of smart minds currently dedicating themselves to the issue. Just last month, the concept of wireless charging rooms arrived to keep our devices juiced (in theory, that is). Now, adjust your visions of years to come to encompass the latest idea. It's the subject of a US patent application by Sony, and it focuses on the notion of wirelessly sucking up power while you're out and about. All you'll need is a phone, a friend and their call-making, text-sending, Facebook-updating device. If you've ever hopped onto your pal's mobile data connection, you know how the concept will hopefully work. Just swap wifi for power, and you're off and running. And, it's not just limited to smartphones — other electronic devices as computers, TVs, fridges, washing machines and microwaves will ideally able to jump in on the action and jump-start each other's batteries. The devices will have to be placed within a short range from each other for phone-to-phone charging to function, with the technology relying upon Near Field Communication, aka the same method behind other wireless syncing. And, as always, don't go throwing out your cables just yet. It might soon be a reality, but it isn't at the moment. Via Gizmodo / What a Future!!
Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie are getting the band back together — Flight of the Conchords have announced plans for their first tour in two years. Sure, the plans are only American for now, but we'll take it. Confirming plans in a recent interview with Billboard, Clement said the pair "are planning on touring later on in the year in the States. It isn't very solid yet, but we've been talking about it." It'll be the first time the Hiphopopotamus and Rhymenocerous have toured as FOTC since 2013. The best bit (and the bit we can get excited about over here) is that they'll apparently be unveiling new Conchords tunes on stage. "I really don't like the studio part of music," he says. "I more enjoy playing live and letting others take care of the recording." Clement has been hangin' out at Sundance, promoting his brand new film People, Places, Things, after a year of promoting co-written, co-directed vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows. McKenzie's been knee-deep in film for the past year as well, returning to his Oscar-winning role as music supervisor for 2014's Muppet follow-up Muppets Most Wanted — which Clement popped up in. Fingers crossed for a venture back home to New Zealand and across to Australia so all the ladies can check out their sugalumps For now, one of the finest Conchords moments: 'Jenny'. Via Billboard.
There has been a small resurgence in the live music scene in the Brisbane CBD. While still comparatively small compared to the live music juggernaut venues in the Valley, it is good to see some people are putting in effort to diversify the musical locales around town. Off The Rails is a brand new night happening every Thursday at the Grand Central Hotel in the CBD. Much like its sister event, Trainspotters, Off The Rails will bring out some of the best local talent and put on a great show every week. The inaugural event is looking to be pretty special. Gravel Samwidge will be bringing their hard hitting punk to the headline slot while The Good Sports, Caroline and Thigh Master (pictured) will be playing in support. This will be a great show and is a great event to get behind. Swing by Grand Central Hotel on Thursday night and witness some great bands doing what they do best.
After playing two balloted shows that sold out faster than you could say "Best New Music", The xx have made good on their promise that they would come back in 2013 to sate the appetites of everyone who missed out. Now that they've released their second album, Coexist, the buzz around the trio is only louder. But Jamie Smith, Romy Madley Croft, and Oliver Sim are capable of being heard above the din by turning up the volume on one of the most valuable (and most underrated) instruments of all — silence. Their strength is seen through the gaps between bone-chilling reverbs and papery vocals, and they're sexy because they don't specifically mention sex. That's not to say The xx don't get noise. They get much of their inspiration from London's dark techno dance scene, and Jamie and Romy both have thriving satellite careers as DJs. The trio's bankability is bigger than ever, so be sure your credit card is handy and your clicking finger poised when tickets go on sale at noon on January 15. More information on the Handsome Tours website. UPDATE: Thursday, April 4, at Festival Hall in Melbourne, and Sunday, April 7, at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney have sold out. New shows have been added at Festival Hall on Friday 5th and the Hordern on Saturday 6th. There are still tickets available to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Tuesday, April 9. https://youtube.com/watch?v=_nW5AF0m9Zw
Every time one of your friends has posted something incredibly sad on Facebook and you've 'liked' it? Things are about to get a little more appropriate (and inevitably negative) on the social media IV drip. Facebook is officially working on a form of 'dislike' button. Facebook co-founder and known hoodie wearer Mark Zuckerberg announced the 'dislike' button venture during a casual Q&A session on Tuesday, explaining that the team has been working on this for some time. "People have asked about the 'dislike' button for many years, and probably hundreds of people have asked about this, and today is a special day because today is the day that I actually get to say we are working on it, and are very close to shipping a test of it," he said. But before you immediately imagine Facebook as a carbon copy of Reddit's upvote/downvote system, Zuckerberg maintains there's more to the developments. "That doesn't seem like the kind of community that we want to create. You don't want to go through the process of sharing some moment that was important to you in your day and have someone 'downvote' it." It's more about "expressing empathy". There's going to be more than liking and disliking on Facebook, as Zuckerberg mentioned there'll be multiple emotional reactions you'll be able to apply to posts. Facebook will begin tests soon, before rolling out the buttons worldwide. Via CNBC.
If you've got a long-held dream of seeing the South Pole and have a bit of spare cash to burn, then you'd best get in quick to score a seat on the upcoming Antarctica flights out of Australia. Sightseeing group Antarctica Flights is taking bookings for a series of rare, sky-high charter tours, departing Sydney (November 18), Perth (January 26), Melbourne (December 31 and February 10), Brisbane (November 10, 2019) and Adelaide (November 24, 2019), to cruise above the dazzling Antarctica Treaty area for around four hours. This year, for the first time ever, it's also flying out of Hobart (which means less travelling and more sightseeing) on November 25. Each flight path is carefully chosen to maximise viewing from both sides of the plane and to ensure the best views should the weather turn nasty, while some passengers will rotate seats to allow everyone an equal shot at the spectacular scenery below. Travelling on a QANTAS 747, the whole trip clocks in at around 12.5 hours — depending on your departure city — during which you'll hear from expert Antarctic explorers, talking about the polar environment and its fascinating history. All that, while enjoying some better-than-average QANTAS plane food, full bar service and, in the lead-up to the views, a spot of in-flight entertainment — classic flick Happy Feet, or some Antarctic docos, of course. As expected, this kind of plane trip doesn't come cheap — you're looking at forking out $1199 to be seated in the very middle of the plane, a whole four seats away from any window. Other options, including the Economy Class Standard ($1999), the Economy Class Superior ($2999) and the Premium Economy Class ($3299) involve seat rotations throughout the flight, so passengers can spend time both close to the window and further away. Of course, you and your favourite travel buddy could drop $7999 each on Ice Class tickets to have a window seat and the one next to it all to yourselves for the entire flight. Also worth noting is the super indulgent New Year's Eve flight out of Melbourne, which could have you ringing in 2019 with onboard Champagne, a live jazz band and a bird's eye view of Antarctica.
Futurama is coming out of stasis, and a pandemic, vaccines, bitcoin, streaming and cancel culture all await. How will the Planet Express crew deal with all of the above, plus a massive disruption in the flow of time, when the Matt Groening-created show about life in the 31st century returns in July? As seen in the comeback season's initial teaser and now its just-dropped full trailer, they'll cope the same way they always have in this beloved animated sitcom: by knowing that anything and everything can and will happen. If a pizza delivery guy was to accidentally wander into a cryogenic chamber back in July 2013, get stuck frozen inside for ten years, then wake up in July 2023, plenty that he knows about the world will have changed — but Futurama would remain a constant. Back then, the series was still on-screen. Now, it's finally being defrosted after a decade off the air. Good news, everyone! — it's back, baby, after US streaming platform Hulu first announced plans to go back to the future in 2022. Futurama was renewed for a 20-episode run, with the first ten new instalments arriving from Monday, July 24 Down Under via Disney+. Say hello again to the 20th-century's Philip J Fry (voiced by Billy West), distant uncle to Planet Express cargo company Professor Hubert J Farnsworth (also voiced by West), plus the rest of the outfit's crew. Yes, that means more antics with one-eyed ship captain Turanga Leela (Katey Sagal); fellow employees Hermes Conrad (Phil LaMarr), Amy Wong (Lauren Tom) and Zoidberg (also West); and everyone from self-obsessed starship captain Zapp Brannigan (West again) and his amphibious 4th Lieutenant Kif Kroker (Maurice LaMarche) through to scheming corporation owner Mom (Tress MacNeille). And, yes, it Bender Bending Rodríguez will be causing chaos, with John DiMaggio also back with the cast. When the revival was first announced, that wasn't the case — but it wouldn't be Futurama without its constantly sauced robot exclaiming "bite my shiny metal ass!". You can put a beloved show into suspended animation, but someone is going to thaw it out one day — and more than once. Initially airing from 1999–2003, the futuristic series then returned from 2008–2013, before now being given another run. Hulu is calling this comeback season 11, even though Futurama spans a past seven seasons and four direct-to-DVD movies so far. As for what this return is about, other than satirising life in the year 3000 and beyond — and parts of life today — the streaming service is promising more about Fry and Leela's love story, what's in Nibbler's litter box, evil Robot Santa's secret history, and Kif and Amy's tadpoles. Check out the full new Futurama trailer below: Futurama season 11 will stream via Disney+ Down Under from Monday, July 24.
There are a million mobile apps out there to help you take better care of your body. But what about one that helps you take better care of your planet? That's the idea behind TODAY, an app that'll let users "track and share the positive impact they have on the world". The homegrown app, which is currently being funded via a crowdfunding campaign, will provide users with information about their environmental footprint, and offer tips on how they can reduce it. It'll tell you how much clean air you create every time you walk to work. It'll tell you how much natural land you conserve every time you eat sustainable food. It'll even tell you how much pollution you save by cutting back on disposable coffee cups. "TODAY exists to inspire you and every single one of us to make the small changes, both individually and collectively, to create a better future for all," reads a description on the app's Start Some Good page. The plan is for the TODAY team to work with ethical businesses, "and engage with awesome environmental initiatives". For more information about TODAY, check out their website. If you like what you see, you can donate to their crowdfunding campaign here.
Even though malaria mortality rates have dropped 25% since 2000, the disease continues to kill one child per minute in Africa. In 2010, the World Health Organisation estimated there were 219 million malaria cases worldwide, 660,000 of which resulted in death. About half the global population inhabits malaria-prone areas. According to WHO, 'personal protection against mosquito bites represents the first line of defence for malaria prevention'. At present, the two most common methods of 'vector control' are insecticide-treated mosquito nets and indoor spraying with residual insecticides. The latter is fully effective when 80% of houses in a particular area are sprayed at three to six month intervals. That's the equivalent to a frightening volume of toxins. Until now, though, nothing else has seemed to work. However, a team of 'passionate professionals devoted to combatting mosquito-borne diseases worldwide' has come up with a new solution: the Kite Patch. It provides 48 hours of protection by secreting non-toxic compounds that prevent mosquitoes from detecting carbon monoxide, the main method they use to discover and target their human prey. It's taken three years of work at Olfactor Laboratories, Inc., and three years of research at the University of California Riverside to come up with the Kite. Having received initial assistance from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the US National Institutes of Health, the team is currently running an Indiegogo campaign. Within five days, it became the crowd funding site's most popular project, reaching an initial goal of $US75,000, which will fund the provision of 20,000 Kite Patches to Pilgrim Africa, Uganda. Now, a stretch goal of $385,000 is just $60,000 short of fulfillment. [via Gizmag]
Trekking across a continent is the type of bucket-list activity plenty of people think about, but few ever manage. If you're in Canada, however, walking across the country just got a whole lot easier. Spanning 24,000 kilometres across 13 provinces and territories, the world's longest hiking track has just been completed. It has taken 25 years to come to fruition, so it's no wonder that they're calling it The Great Trail. Opening in its 100% connected form at the end of August, the path connects Canada's east and west coasts via an outdoor journey through all of the terrain the nation has to offer. Urban, rural and wilderness landscape is featured, plus greenways, waterways and roadways, with track perfect for not only hikers, cyclists and horse riders, but anyone keen for a paddle, cross-country ski or snowmobile trip as well. The trail was first conceived as part of Canada's 125th anniversary celebrations in 1992, with Pierre Camu, Bill Pratt, and Paul LaBarge coming up with the idea to connect all of the country's various tracks. As well as the types of treks you'd expect — over rocky ground and through leafy forests, for example — highlights include wanders through major cities such as Toronto and Ottawa, a sea-to-sky marine trail around islands and waterfalls, and dog-sledding during snow season. Via Travel + Leisure / Image: The Great Trail.
Know your stuff. Know your material. Know Your Product. Despite Brisbane’s creative scene heading only upwards towards world domination, there are a lot of people who still have no idea what’s what and who’s who. There are an infinite number of people in our lovely capital all producing brilliant art in whatever format they so desire, but with nowhere they can place said work in order for it to be viewed and appreciated, they stay anonymous. Enter the wonderful Nine Lives Gallery. Famous around Brisbane for all the work they do promoting both up-and-coming artists and the well-established, their gallery offers artists a chance for their hard work to see the light of day and the eyes of many. With a canny ability to predict big things and the knack to get things happening, those who show there are very lucky. Starting October 6, the following three weeks will be a celebration of local talent with the weeks dedicated to paintings, illustrations and photography. With the full list of gifted artists to long to include here, I would highly recommend hitting up the Nine Lives website as these are names you’ll want to take note of for future reference.
Bacon is many things. It is a bona fide food of the gods, a saviour of all hungover mornings, and an eternal clogger of arteries, but now it can add one more title to its already stellar (if not a little oily) resume — bacon can now power vehicles. Or, more specifically, bacon grease can. To prove this fascinating tidbit of potentially environment-saving trivia, one man in the US endeavoured to ride his motorcycle from Minnesota to San Diego fuelled only by bacon-y goodness. The results are in, and they're pretty spectacular. Collaborating with Bio-Blend Fuels and the meat-l0ving legends at Hormel Foods, Eric Pierson took to the road last month on his tricked-out diesel motorcycle. The end-point of the trip was of course the San Diego Bacon Festival — yep, that exists — and the whole journey was captured for a documentary that is currently in post-production. Now, though we consider ourselves experts on the cooking and eating of bacon, we can't attest to much of the science behind the project. Supposedly bacon grease is a viable fuel source that also has the added benefit of being carbon-neutral. Pouring the oil from fast food fryers into your car is allegedly also a thing that could work somehow. If you don't believe us, feast your eyes on this incredibly technical flowchart: This could be a revolution in environmental science! In a few years, petrol stations could be replaced by bacon-frying stations. No longer would you have to spend half your paycheck on filling up your tank. Just buy a few kilos of extra-streaky bacon, fry it up, mop up the grease and eat the spoils. You'd already be craving it; everyone's exhaust fumes would smell like a Sunday morning fry-up. For the full story — and more scientifically accurate information — on the impending bacon revolution, keep an eye out for the documentary's release date. This is bound to be good news for everyone... except pigs. It's very bad news for pigs. Via PSFK.
As Good Food Month kicks off in Brisbane, one of the top events we're looking forward to is the Night Noodle Market in South Bank. But after consuming your weight in noodles, dumplings and other Asian-inspired fare, we're guessing you'll be looking for something to quench that soy sauce-induced thirst. Cue the pop-up Tanqueray Gin Garden, where Night Noodlers can sit back amid the interactive light installation and sample some of the brand's world-class gin. Not much of a gin connoisseur? With the spirit having experienced a dramatic resurgence over the past five years (and so finally broken out of its stereotype as a mature-aged lady's drink of choice), now is the time to make its acquaintance. And how better to do so than with a selection of Tanqueray Gin? Each gift pack we're giving away will include two Tanqueray drinking glasses, one bottle of Tanqueray No. 10 (700ml) and a bottle of the original Tanqueray London Gin (700ml) — the one with the 180-year-old recipe that's still kept a closely guarded secret. To be in the running for one of three Tanqueray gift packs, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address at win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au.
On July 4, 2010, Michiel Roodenburg and Joost Notenboom from the Netherlands embarked on a 20-month journey, and after cycling across over 15 countries the two recently finished their journey in Antarctica. Their ‘Cycle for Water’ campaign is the first attempt in history to travel from the Arctic Circle to Antartica aboard bicycles, and bamboo ones at that. Roodenburg and Nootenboom aimed to raise awareness about the global water crisis, which affects one seventh of the world’s population. Cycling across some of the most amazing places in the world, their 30,000 kilometre adventure took them through such areas as the Canadian wilderness and the rainforests of Central and South America. The pair decided to create the campaign after they saw the water shortages in Africa and the Middle East. "We believe that everyone on this planet has the right to a basic and sustainable source of drinking water. It is the first step out of poverty. Water is life, literally and figuratively," says Roodenburg and Notenboom. The National Geographic says "over 97 percent of the world's water is too salty to drink, another 2 percent is locked up in the world's ice caps and glaciers." This leaves us with less than one percent that we are able to use, so it's probably a good idea to keep it clean.
Get ready for red carpet specials, awkward presenter gaffes and all the bitter celebrity reaction shots your heart could possibly desire — it's time for the Oscars. This means one thing for all of us playing at home and not taking away $150,000 gift baskets: Concrete Playground's 2015 Academy Awards Drinking Game. As always, both Concrete Playground and the Academy support responsible drinking and the brevity of acceptance speeches. Now, thank the Academy and get into it. ONE SIP Jack Nicholson wears sunglasses. Harrison Ford wears an earring. Diane Keaton wears gloves. Harvey Weinstein is mentioned. Neil Patrick Harris (NPH) sings during his opening monologue. Jennifer Lawrence does something adorably 'real' (three drinks if it's a fashion mishap). Winner thanks God or Jesus. Winner 'pays tribute' to his/her extraordinary fellow nominees. Winner's speech is played off by the orchestra. Channing Tatum misreads his teleprompter (three drinks if he reads 'Channing' or 'Pause for laughter' aloud). TWO SIPS NPH makes a Birdman / Batman joke (three drinks if Michael Keaton does). NPH references the leaked Sony emails. Rosamund Pike makes a joke about her co-presenter being scared of her (five drinks if it’s actually funny). Steve Carrell prosthetic nose is joke-nominated for 'Best Supporting Actor'. NPH jokes that the bathroom queue is the only thing bigger than Chris Hemsworth's arms. Eddie Redmayne and Benedict Cumberbatch do a bit together about playing mathematical geniuses. You’ve actually heard of any of the nominees for 'Documentary Short Subject' or 'Foreign Language Film'. Matthew McConaughey says any (or all) of: 'Alriiiight', 'Okaaay' and 'Wooooow'. JK Simmons jokes that the orchestra is not quite in time. NPH does a bit involving a Birdman voiceover in his head that mocks various nominees. Robin Williams gets the biggest applause during the 'In Memorium' section. Someone jokes that American Sniper is the only thing more divisive than the war it's set in. Winner describes his/her film as 'important'. Winner describes his/her film’s director as 'a genius'. Brad Pitt pokes fun at actors who become directors (CUT TO Angelina Jolie smiling). Chris Hemsworth has a ponytail. THREE SIPS Liam Hemsworth has a ponytail. NPH reads the leaked Sony emails. TARS from Interstellar presents an award and tells the best joke of the evening. John Travolta welcomes to the stage "Academy Award Winner — Royce Witherspork" You’ve actually seen of any of the nominees for 'Documentary Short Subject' or 'Foreign Language Film'. Winner thanks Allah or Mohammed. Meryl Streep acknowledges her now 19 nominations and says "One more and I get a free meatball sub." NPH jokes that Boyhood is nothing special because he did Doogie Howser back in '89 and we've been watching him not grow up ever since. Any joke about Alan Turing being the only one who could make sense of something (five drinks if it's Oscars voting). Someone from The Theory of Everything thanks Stephen Hawking instead of God. NPH attempts to break Ellen's record for most-retweeted selfie. Mickey Rooney gets the biggest applause during the 'In Memorium' section. Joaquin Phoenix comes dressed as a turn-of-the-century blacksmith. NPH jokes that there have been 'back to back' gay hosts for the Oscars (five drinks if he then says he's looking forward to Clooney hosting in 2016). Selma wins Best Picture but the director isn't allowed to walk all the way to the stage. Congratulatory kiss or embrace from presenter 'gets awkward'. CHUG YOUR DRINK Bruce Willis has a ponytail… or a combover. NPH sings his opening song in black face to redress the 'white nominees only' situation (we genuinely hope he doesn't do this). Peter Jackson announces plans to turn his valet parking receipt into an epic nine-hour trilogy. Meryl Streep comes in a dress made from all her melted-down Oscars. JK Simmons hurls his award at the orchestra’s drummer and levels the most horrific slur in broadcast history. ISIS wins 'Best Foreign Short Film'. Grand Budapest Hotel wins Best Picture, Kanye crashes the stage and says Hotel Rwanda was easily the better hotel. Michael Keaton wins Best Actor but, having gone too deep into character, produces a gun and goes 'Full Birdman'.
If you're flying out of Sydney Airport with Air New Zealand this week, the experience might be a little different to what you're used to. The airline is trialling a new kind of employee. On loan from the Commonwealth Bank, a humanoid robot called Chip will be getting around the airport as part of a five-day experiment, interacting with customers, giving directions and even assisting with check-ins. A video released by the airline shows Chip communicating through a screen in his chest, and even scanning boarding passes with his eyes. Way cooler than those boring self-service check-in kiosks. Up until now, Chip's been spending most of his days hanging out with students and academics at CBA's Sydney Innovation Lab, so his time at the airport will both give him valuable 'real world' practice and help Air New Zealand explore ways of enhancing the customer travel experience. "The airport is a busy and often overcrowded environment with signs, instructions and messages every which way you look," Air New Zealand chief digital officer Avi Golan explained in the video. "Our customers can feel overwhelmed. The experiment is about bringing information to life, through innovative technologies." Chip will be at Sydney Airport until today, Friday, August 25. Let's see if any Aussie airlines follow suit. https://youtu.be/6DHXa8V6N4U Via The NZ Herald. Image: Air New Zealand/YouTube.
Only two months ago I saw Tame Impala at a packed out Enmore, a sweaty and heavily marijuana scented verification of their legendary status here in the band's homeland. But already they’ve announced another Australian tour, confirming an exponential increase in popularity that would seem a bit nuts if you hadn’t been reading all the end-of-year roundups on all the biggest music sites in the world. The tour is comprised of five shows to coincide with the band’s headline appearance at Groovin’ The Moo 2013, kicking off late April, and each comes with a big-time venue upgrade. Instead of The Enmore it’ll be the Hordern Pavilion, with the Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth shows taking place in the Festival Hall, Convention Centre, Thebarton Theatre and Belvoir Ampitheatre respectively. By then Tame Impala’s critically eulogised second album, Lonerism, will have been getting airtime for around six months, so don’t put off buying tickets until the last minute. Lyrical introversion and mind-warping psychedelia can be just as enjoyable in big group situations.
All those years you spent waiting for Hedwig to drop a Hogwarts acceptance letter in your letterbox or your fireplace were not in vain. No, my muggle friend, they were all leading up to this: the day when Hollywood's Universal Studios announced that they'll be opening the (wonderful) Wizarding World of Harry Potter, complete with a replica of the magical school itself. The date? April 7, 2016. Yep, you'll be able to enter into Hogwarts and presumably stand on the sacred ground where Harry got placed into Gryffindor by the Sorting Hat, Hermione punched Malfoy in the face and everywhere Snape threw shade. They'll also be replicating Hogsmeade, recreating shops like Ollivanders, Zonko’s Joke Shop and Honeydukes, as well as The Three Broomsticks and the Hog's Head. We assume you'll be able to order by way of accio butterbeer. This isn't the first Harry Potter theme park — there's already one in both Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Japan — but this definitely looks like the coolest. Plus, it's Harry Potter. Losing your shit is totally acceptable. So keep an eye out for that acceptance letter. Or, alternatively, a return flight to LA doesn't seem too out of the question either. It's Hogwarts.
As one of the world's biggest cities, London sort of has it all. Now they've got scored something most cities most certainly do not have: an urban zip line. Zip World London has this week launched what they say is the world's biggest and fastest urban zip liner, right in the heart of the city. According to the Evening Standard, the adrenaline-fuelled experience will see punters hoisted 35 meters into the air before being pushed down the 225-metre zip line. It's been billed as the "fastest city zip wire in the world" and people will reach speeds of up to 80 kilometres per hour, which is, well, pretty terrifyingly fast. The whole thing takes place right next to the Thames at Archbishop's Park in Lambeth, so — aside from gliding through the sky like Batman for 30 intense seconds — riders will also get to take in some of the best views of London's iconic skyline, Big Ben included. If you're escaping winter for a London summer, you're in luck, because the zip line is open until Sunday, October 1. Adult tickets are £22.50 and can be booked here. Via the Evening Standard.
We know how it goes, the sun starts shining and your desire for a cocktail grows. You fish around in the fridge for some ingredients and end up with some flat tonic, a skerrick of sad-looking cucumber and you make do with a subpar G&T. Well, we're here to tell you, summer cocktails don't have to be last-resort failures. It's time to take some pride in your gin-based tipple and treat your tastebuds to something special. To set you off in the right direction, we've partnered with Greenall's and crafted five foolproof recipes for some top-notch summer cocktails — and with a particularly summery drop we might add. Inspired by the blackberries growing in English hedgerows, England's oldest gin distiller's Wild Berry Gin offers a delicate sweetness with subtle red fruit notes that develop into rich camphor and citrus tastes. While the spirit can be enjoyed simply with soda and lime, take things up a notch and try out these cocktails below. Whether you're shaking them up for a group of friends or giving your significant other a nice cool treat on a hot summer's day, these pink-hued cocktails are sure to impress. [caption id="attachment_683817" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shansay.[/caption] DOLCE VITA 'Dolce Vita' is Italian for 'sweet life' and the surest way to keep things saccharine is to pair your Wild Berry Gin with palate-smacking zingy passionfruit and sweet vermouth. — 45ml Greenall's Wild Berry Gin — 15ml Aperol — 15ml sweet vermouth — 5ml passionfruit syrup — slice of orange Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, pour in all your molto bella ingredients — minus the orange, that comes later — and stir vigorously. Hey, you've gotta work for your sweet treat. Strain over an ice-filled tumbler — or a whisky glass and a chunk of ice, if you're feeling fancy — and garnish with a slice of orange. Salute, sweet tooths. PRETTY IN PINK Just like the 1986 Molly Ringwald masterpiece, this feel-good tipple is super sweet in all the right ways and bound to be a cult favourite. — 40ml Greenall's Wild Berry Gin — 20ml raspberry puree — 30ml cream — 10ml crème de fraise de bois Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker along with a good handful of ice, then holler at Ducky and get him to give it a good shake. Next, strain the pink concoction into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a fresh raspberry, or two. Get the 80s hits pumping and enjoy this pretty little drink. FLORA DORA This is Greenall's take on a West End comedy which went on to become one of Broadway's biggest musicals, a round of applause for the Flora Dora. Get ready, this cocktail is a real showstopper. — 40ml Greenall's Wild Berry Gin — 20ml fresh lime juice — 10ml raspberry syrup — ginger beer You're the choreographer to these sweet, tart and spicy ginger elements. Your job: build all ingredients in a highball glass over ice and give 'em a good stir to make sure they hit their mark. Then, take a bow and a well-deserved sip. FOREST FRUIT CUP Give the shaker a rest and make a cocktail jug to share instead. This fruity delight will draw all your long-lost friends out of the woods (or forest) and into your home. — 50ml Greenall's Wild Berry Gin — 25ml fresh lemon juice — 10ml Cointreau — 15ml sugar syrup — 1 thin slice of ginger — 150ml ginger beer Gently press your ginger slice into the bottom of a large highball glass (a hurricane or sling will work equally well). Pour over the rest of the ingredients and stir. For added pizzazz, chuck in all the fruits of the forest along with some lemon, mint and cucumber. To make a jug, simply multiply by four. WILD BERRY FROSE Finally, you don't have to choose between your G&T, slushie or wine. It's a real problem, we swear. Greenall's have married together all three in this refreshing cocktail cool enough to tackle any heatwave. — 50ml Greenall's Wild Berry Gin — 20ml lemon juice — 10ml strawberry puree — 10ml raspberry puree — 30ml sugar syrup — 65ml rosé wine Grab your trusty blender and pulverise all ingredients with ice until a smooth granita texture is achieved. Pour the mixture into a large highball, hurricane or sling glass. Garnish with a strawberry fan if you're feeling fruity or a paper umbrella if you're feeling sassy. Make 'em all to find your go-to sweet Greenall's drink for summer. Top image: Leícia Almeida.
Counter-culture figure and controversial thinker, R.D. Laing, was notorious for challenging the pre-conceived notions of the causes of schizophrenia claiming the condition was a result of resistance socially prescribed identities. Also eventually discredited, Laing was unique in his commitment to his ideas and willingness to embrace cultural notoriety to further the spread of his anarchic, anti-establishment thoughts. Since his infamous book The Divided Self was published in 1960, Laing adapted to numerous mediums, increasing his exposure to the world. Television, theatre and music all helped Laing preach about reform and his anti-establishment ethos. British artist Luke Fowler has compiled hours of footage into a documentary on Laing and his transition from psychiatrist to celebrity. All Divided Selves will be screening at IMA until May, the exhibit will be launched alongside Gregory Crewdson's In a Lonely Place exhibition on Saturday, March 16.
Finding a drink to match the place you're in hasn't been too hard in recent years. For folks in Sydney, two different types of gin have paid tribute to the Sydney Opera House. For people in Melbourne, there's a juniper spirit that nods to St Kilda live music institution The Espy. And Brisbane scored its own themed gin, too. They're just some examples — and now Jetstar, of all companies, is serving up four more. Having a tipple to celebrate turning 18 is the done thing, after all. Yes, the discounted Australian airline has come of age, and it's hosting a two-day birthday flight sale to mark the occasion. But, once you've bought cheap fares, you can also say cheers to your trip — or just in general — by knocking back a few sips from Jetstar's new hard seltzer range. The boozy beverage line is a collaboration with 'Ray, the Hop Nation crew's hard seltzer side hustle. Obviously, a Melbourne-themed seltzer is on the menu — and it somehow tastes like a deconstructed cafe latte. If you're not so fond of the idea of coffee-flavoured seltzer, the other options include a coconut, fairy floss and sea salt number for the Gold Coast; mulled wine, cloves and cinnamon for Queenstown; and rambutan, soursop and hibiscus for Bali. The four tipples are also meant to exude a particular vibe that reflects their cities of inspiration — so urban vibes for Melbourne, good times for the GC, adventure for NZ and balmy nights for Bali. Or, maybe take that as advice on where and when to knock back said drinks, since who knows what "urban vibes" taste like. If you're keen to give the seltzers a sip, you'll have to nab some online via the 'Ray website. They'll be available from Tuesday, May 17 — and because they're a limited-edition affair, getting in quickly is recommended. Jetstar's Bali, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Queenstown seltzers will be available to purchase online from Tuesday, May 17.
How do you know when you are an adult? For me personally, I didn’t think I would ever actually feel like one, but how can one be sure? Is it the responsibilities that define adulthood? The privileges? Envelope seeks to explore that notion with a little help from the world at large. Using the stories of hundreds of people from around the world, Envelope dissects all of the subtle changes one experiences through their life to find out when the milestones signify your destination, wherever that may be. Written by Finn O’Branagáin and performed by The Vertebras, Envelope is a unique look at the timeless tale of coming-of-age and how much is can change from person to person. Taking place at the Sue Benner Theatre from 21 August, this production is sure to get your mind pondering on the big questions and life, and how it was shaped by your actions so far.
You have to hand it to the folks at the Elephant; they’re fond of a good block party, and they know how to throw them. And while they've only hosted two so far, their Ekka public holiday celebrations have already become highly anticipated thanks to their ample shindig-staging know-how. For their third event, Asta, MKO and Ayla will take care of the live music, and James Wright and DJ Black Amex will spin tunes too. That leaves you to just enjoy the atmosphere while you're dancing, drinking and feeling the 'I don't have to work tomorrow' kind of happy.
UPDATE, August 27, 2021: From Friday, August 27, Cruella will be available to stream via Disney+ — and as part of your regular subscription. A killer dress, a statement jacket, a devastating head-to-toe ensemble: if they truly match their descriptions, they stand the test of time. Set in 70s London as punk takes over the aesthetic, live-action 101 Dalmatians prequel Cruella is full of such outfits — plus a white-and-black fur coat that's suspected of being made from slaughtered dogs. If the film itself was a fashion item, though, it'd be a knockoff. It'd be a piece that appears fabulous from afar, but can't hide its seams. That's hardly surprising given this origin tale stitches together pieces from The Devil Wears Prada, The Favourite, Superman, Star Wars and Dickens, and doesn't give two yaps if anyone notices. The Emmas — Stone, playing the dalmatian-hating future villain; Thompson, doing her best Miranda Priestly impression as a ruthless designer — have a ball. Oscar-winning Mad Max: Fury Road costume designer Jenny Beavan is chief among the movie's MVPs. But for a film placed amid the punk-rock revolution, it's happy to merely look the part, not live and breathe it. And, in aiming to explain away its anti-heroine's wicked ways, it's really not sure what it wants to say about her. Here, the needle drops have it. If compiling Cruella's soundtrack involved more than typing "60s, 70s and 80s hits" into Spotify, it doesn't show. A snarling rendition of The Stooges' 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' proves as blatant as it sounds. When a plan comes together to The Beatles' 'Come Together', you'll wonder if the laziest algorithm in the world made that choice. And would it really be a film about someone called de Vil — a naming choice that's spelled out with such force, you could spot it from the moon — if The Rolling Stones' 'Sympathy for the Devil' wasn't given a spin? As the Mouse House keeps exploring its antagonists' nefarious urges (see also: the two Maleficent movies), it routinely just covers the bare necessities, story-wise. Here, it takes that approach in as many places as it can. Indeed, in telling viewers that Cruella is saddled with childhood traumas, too, it seems to think that two-plus over-stretched hours of 70s cosplay will suffice. Before she becomes the puppy-skinning fashionista that remains among Glenn Close's best-known roles, and before she's both a wannabe designer and the revenge-seeking talk of the town played by Stone (Zombieland: Double Tap), Cruella is actually 12-year-old girl Estella (Tipper Seifert-Cleveland, Game of Thrones). Sporting two-toned hair and a cruel that streak her mother (Emily Beecham, Little Joe) tries to tame with kindness, she's a target for bullies, but has the gumption to handle them. Then tragedy strikes, an orphan is born, loss haunts her every move and, after falling in with a couple of likeable London thieves, those black-and-white locks get a scarlet dye job. By the time that Estella is in her twenties, she's well-versed in pulling quick heists with Jasper (Joel Fry, Yesterday) and Horace (Paul Walter Hauser, Songbird). She loves sewing the costumes required more than anything else, however. After years spent dreaming of knockout gowns, upmarket department stores and threads made by the Baroness (Thompson, Last Christmas), she eventually gets her chance — for fashion domination, as well as vengeance. It worked for director Craig Gillespie in I, Tonya, but the wry narration that guides Cruella's story quickly overstays its welcome. The knowing tone, obvious observations and taunts of a death that can't stick in a prequel all purely hit the expected beats, as almost everything here does. Co-screenwriter Dana Fox also penned Isn't It Romantic, but trades satirising one genre's tropes for leaning into another's (yes, villain origin stories are their own genre now). Fellow scribe Tony McNamara was nominated for an Oscar for The Favourite and an Emmy for The Great, so the fact that Stone often feels like she has stepped out of the former and into this — right down to her subterfuge and scheming beneath the Baroness' feet — is no surprise. The Devil Wears Prada's Aline Brosh McKenna gets a story credit, too, because Disney isn't attempting to conceal its inspirations. Cruella may stem from Dodie Smith's book, then the cartoon, then the live-action remake, but it has been cut from a clear pattern. There's zero vampishness in the end result, but plenty of botched ideas and muddled themes. When Estella is driven to succeed, rebel against being treated poorly at work and punish the person responsible for her pain, they're far more fascinating aspects of her character than the movie meaningfully examines — perhaps because they don't quite fit her journey to the monochrome side. Empathising with her plight is easy several times over. After an early incident, understanding why she doesn't love dalmatians is as well. Gillespie and company don't come close to selling the leap from ambitious and avenging to future animal cruelty, though. The latter isn't actually a part of Cruella, but in giving its central figure the Joker treatment, the film's character arc is always a stretch. It also undercuts the much more potent notion that some people are just evil, and don't need a sob story as an excuse. If, in all of their eagerness to stick to a template, Cruella's powers-that-be just wanted to pair Stone up with another English acting titan — swapping The Favourite's Olivia Colman for the on-screen treasure that is Thompson — and then let them have at it, that's understandable. It's also as a good enough reason as any for this or any movie to exist. Alongside Beavan's Vivienne Westwood- and Alexander McQueen-influenced costumes, plus Nicolas Karakatsanis' (another I, Tonya alum) constantly moving camerawork, the acerbic Oscar-winning Emmas are the reason that the film has any bite to go along with its empty barks. But the duo's gleeful cartoonishness, flamboyance and winning ability to wear the hell out of their outfits only takes Cruella so far. Even with their obvious commitment, this intellectual property-extending exercise is more filler than killer. After you give it a whirl, you'll put it back on the rack and rarely spare it another thought. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgZgFHDGHrY&feature=youtu.be Top image: Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2021 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Maybe your suitcase is still looking a tad dusty, following a few years that saw travel plans put on hold. Perhaps you've given it the best workout you possibly could ever since local, interstate and international trips became a thing we could all do again. Whichever fits, scoring flights as cheap as $55 should tempt you to give that trusty bag another spin. Your destinations? Everywhere from The Whitsundays to Japan, all as part of Virgin's latest flight sale. If you're after discounted fares to a heap of places — including around Australia and the globe — Virgin is slashing prices again. This batch of special flights has been badged the Bring on 2023 sale, and can be booked now. You've got until midnight on Monday, February 6 to lock in your plans, unless the cheap fares sell out earlier. As usual, there's a sizeable number of discounted flights on offer: more than 500,000 in this run. They cover local spots such Byron Bay, Cairns, the Gold Coast and Hobart, plus overseas destinations including Bali, Vanuatu, Samoa and Fiji. Offering up to 30-percent off, one-way domestic fares start at $55, which'll get you from Sydney to Byron Bay. As proves the case in every sale like this, that's cheapest route. Other discounted flights include Sydney to the Sunshine Coast from $75, Adelaide to Launceston from $85, Brisbane to Proserpine for the same price, Melbourne to the Gold Coast from $99 and Brisbane to Hamilton Island from $119. Internationally, return deals include Sydney to Fiji from $459, the Gold Coast to Bali from $489, Melbourne to Vanuatu from $539 and Cairns to Tokyo from $699. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, the fares cover between Wednesday, March 1–Thursday, December 7, all varying per route. As usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick. Sure, the chaos of Black Friday and Boxing Day is behind us for another year, but everyone loves a holiday — and, even better, a bargain holiday. Virgin's Bring on 2023 sale runs until midnight on Monday, February 6 — unless sold out earlier. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Imagine Planet of the Apes, but hurtling 65-million years backwards in time rather than forwards. What would a crashed spaceship's survivors find? Jurassic Park's favourite critters, obviously. Now imagine that other hit franchise, but also with a twist. Instead of making a new playground for genetically engineered dinosaur clones, picture people being plonked in the prehistoric creatures' existing realm. Whichever of the above options that you're now thinking about, you're currently on 65's wavelength. There's a bit of the Predator series to the upcoming sci-fi flick's just-dropped first trailer as well. And, there's a touch of Logan and A Quiet Place, too. The latter actually gets a boost thanks to writer/directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, who penned the first AQP feature. Here, however, they're also giving the world what it's always wanted, even if it didn't know it yet: Adam Driver fighting dinos. The White Noise, House of Gucci, Annette and Star Wars actor has long had a knack for interesting choices, and 65 fits the bill for that whole Driver-versus-prehistoric animals setup alone. If a movie about Idris Elba fighting lions can exist, aka Beast, so can this . There's more to 65's narrative, of course but it really does sound cobbled together from all that aforementioned science-fiction fare. Driver plays pilot Mills, who is charting a long-range exploratory mission through space when his ship is hit by an undocumented asteroid. Out of the 35 passengers, only young Koa (Ariana Greenblatt, In the Heights) is also left once they realise where and when they've landed — which sparks a fight to survive. Chloe Coleman (Gunpowder Milkshake) is also credited among the cast, but this looks set to largely remain a two-hander — well, two people and however many dinosaurs come rampaging their way. Viewers can see the end result in cinemas in March 2023, after a few release-date delays over the past year. And, among the film's impressive pedigree, The Evil Dead filmmaker Sam Raimi is one of its executive producers, while Wednesday and White Noise composer Danny Elfman is on score duties. Check out the trailer for 65 below: 65 releases in cinemas Down Under on March 9, 2023.
Well, Monopoly just took its reputation as the game that will destroy your family to the next level. HBO is teaming up with Hasbro for the version we've all been waiting for: Game of Thrones Monopoly. According to Mashable, the game has locked in a 2015 release — we're hoping most likely to coincide with the Season Five premiere in April. Instead of the usual boardwalks of Rich Uncle Pennybags, the board will take bloody, bloody real estate to the key spots of Westeros. Ditching the dog and thimble, GoT Monopoly will let you play as a direwolf, three-eyed raven, White Walker, dragon egg, crown, and of course, and Iron Throne. And you'll be building villages and keeps instead of houses and hotels. “The Iron Bank is the Iron Bank.” Coming in 2015, Monopoly #GameOfThrones edition: http://t.co/UBuXb0iqcc @usaopoly pic.twitter.com/fubi9rdgKz— Game Of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) February 13, 2015 Hasbro haven't revealed the individual board spaces for the GoT edition. We're thinking King's Landing has a good chance of Mayfair, and we'd probably drop Craster's Keep on Old Kent Road. You'll likely be nabbing your Gold Dragons from the Iron Bank, and keeping everything crossed for a Get Out of The Wall Free Card. Game of Thrones Monopoly is set for release in 2015. Via Mashable.
Though far from being one himself, Sell Out, the latest album from Melbourne producer Yeo, blends several great elements from some of the best contemporary producers in the music business, making a modern, yet remarkable piece of work. Released independently in February, Sell Out evokes some of Yeo’s key influences, from James Blake to Pharrell Williams. Tracks from the album have been making waves on Triple J and in various scenes across Australia; earning fans thanks to the hook-laden synth’s and playful funk. Joining Yeo on tour will be his stage band, and he will be supported on all tour dates by EAVES, a talented up and coming artist from Canberra, the atmospheric Sleepy Tea and cyberpunk artist, MKO. Yeo will be performing at Black Bear Lodge, this Wednesday.
Do you have a friend in Wellington who likes writing, and going to cafes where the baristas are knee-deep in tattoos and serve organic ethnic blend coffees? A friend who knows what a cold brew is, can stomach eating fine cuisine on a weekly basis, and gets enthused about going to the latest Bats plays and being 'in the know'? Would that friend enjoy getting paid to do all of the above and more? Well, good. We're looking for writers in Wellington city and need someone like your friend (you can subscribe here to read about it soon). So pass this message on to them and get them to send us through their name and wee bit of their writing (no personal postcard to your aunt or your Mills & Boon-esque short fiction piece, please) to wellington@concreteplayground.co.nz We'll be waiting.
When Bondi's iconic Icebergs pool shuts for cleaning each Thursday it usually just gets a bit of a scrub. But this week something much more exciting than a high-pressure hose was put into the beachside basin — instead, a giant print of the Amalfi Coast was installed across the entire bottom of the pool. A post shared by Canon Australia (@canonaustralia) on Feb 23, 2017 at 12:46am PST If you're familiar with his work, you have probably already guessed that the print was shot by prolific Bondi ocean photographer Eugene Tan, a.k.a Aquabumps. The umbrella-lined beach print — named Peppermint Fresh and shot on the Amalfi Coast last year — is available to buy on Tan's website, but at a huge 50-metres-wide, this is definitely the most large-scale you'll get to see it. Unfortunately the installation was a one-day-only thing and the pool is back to its normal clear blues today. Nonetheless, it made for a great aerial shot. Top image: Amaury Treguer via Instagram.
Spectacular spectacular news: we've just found the best excuse you'll ever have to head to Paris, other than, well, just generally heading to Paris. Making movie-lovers' dreams come true, and just fans of the French capital's as well, Airbnb has listed quite the iconic spot. When it comes to the Moulin Rouge's famous windmill, no other word comes close to describing it. You've seen it lighting up the big screen in Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge!, spotted it as part of Moulin Rouge! The Musical's sets and, if you've been to Paris before, maybe even tangoed past it. Now, you can slumber in a secret room within the red-hued site. Yes, you'll be peeking behind the velvet curtains of the famed location — and walking through them. The space inside the windmill has never before been opened to the public, let alone been made available to book via Airbnb — and yes, it's decked out to look the part. The interior has been turned into a Belle Époque-inspired boudoir, so you really will feel like you've danced back to late 19th-century France or into a film (or both). To get the details exactly right, Airbnb worked with French historian Jean-Claude Yon on the renovations, with authenticity obviously a big driving factor. The results: that opulent boudoir, which comes filled with art nouveau features and a miniature paper stage; a dressing area filled with vintage costumes, perfumes and letters from admirers; and a private rooftop terrace with an ornate pagoda and garden furniture that would've been around at the time. Come what may, indeed. That's all stunning as it is — and the fact that you'll get backstage access to the theatre, a traditional three-course French meal and the best seats in the house for the Moulin Rouge's acclaimed show Féerie as well as an overnight stay makes it even better. So does the fact that your host for the booking is Claudine Van Den Bergh, lead dancer of Féerie. Then there's the cost, with all of the above only setting you back AU$1.49 / NZ$1.63 (or €1) for the evening. Yes, that price is correct. If you've tried to sleep in the Bluey house in Brisbane, or Dracula's castle in Transylvania — or shark tanks, van Gogh's bedroom and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' secret lair — then you'll know that getting into Airbnbs like this is more about entering to score a shot than booking, though. In this case, the Moulin Rouge windmill will only be hosting three individual one-night stays for two guests each on June 13, 20 and 27 To get your chance, you'll need to head to the windmill's Airbnb listing when reservations open — at 3am AEST on Wednesday, May 18. If you score a stay, that AU$1.49 / NZ$1.63 doesn't cover getting you to Paris, unsurprisingly. Accordingly, your bank account will still get a workout. And, if you've always wondered about the windmill's history — well, since seeing Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor fall in love on-screen near it — it was first constructed in 1889, to nod to the site's rural origins. Then, after a fire, it was reconstructed three decades later. For more information about the Moulin Rouge windmill listing on Airbnb, or to apply to book at 3am AEST on Wednesday, May 18, head to the Airbnb website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: Daniel Alexander Harris.
It's here. Oh God, oh God, it's finally here. After more than a year of bickering, speculation and a seemingly never-ending parade of scandals, in the next four to six hours we'll probably know the name of the next American President. Just about every new organisation on the planet will be covering the race. Below, we've put together a list of the best places to tune in to the finale of the most exhausting reality show in the history of modern democracy. GOOGLE This year, Google launched their new election tool that presents election results in real time. Just pop in "US election" into search. YOUTUBE Hop on to YouTube for live streams from NBC News, Bloomberg, PBS, MTV News, Telemundo and The Young Turks. Complex News is also streaming an election-night special at YouTube Space NY. TWITTER BuzzFeed News has teamed up with Twitter for an exclusive election live stream, available via election.twitter.com, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Xbox One. FACEBOOK LIVE A few US news outlets will be using Facebook Live to stream election results, commentary and analysis. Check out PBS NewsHour, AJ+, The Washington Post and The New York Times. Alternatively, Huffington Post are streaming a Donald Trump candle melting in real time. So, y'know, there's that. OTHER GO-TO NEWS PLATFORMS The Guardian has the most adorable and comprehensive map and tracker we've seen. Huffington Post and Fox News will be streaming through Verizon's go90streaming service. US news sites like CNN (also fronting a killer interactive electoral college map) and MSNBC will be streaming from their own websites, and Fox will be streaming from their Fox News Go app. BLOGS You definitely want to keep your eyes on Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight, along with The New Yorker and Politco. Oh, and The Onion, because laughing is better than crying. CLOSER TO HOME The ABC is operating an up-to-the-minute live blog, as is SBS and SMH. You can also stream ABC News 24, and yes, Antony Green will be on hand to break down all the numbers. VIRTUAL REALITY Yes, that's right, virtual reality. Because why wouldn't you want to get ever closer to Donald Trump. AltspaceVR have teamed up with NBC News to present VR coverage throughout the night. By Tom Clift and Shannon Connellan. Top image: The Guardian.
The Melbourne International Jazz Festival knows how to perfect the art of headliners. It also knows how to make the most of a jazz-fuelled spring night under the stars at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Fresh from welcoming Chaka Khan to the openair venue in 2023 for an Australian-exclusive show, as joined by Nile Rodgers & Chic, the Victorian fest has announced fellow icon Herbie Hancock as its big name for 2024. Hancock will help kick off this year's MIJF, which runs from Friday, October 18–Sunday, October 27 and will announce the rest of its lineup in August. The 14-time Grammy-winning legend will play Jazz at the Bowl, making the event's third year particularly memorable. This is the man whose career includes playing in the Miles Davis Quintet in the 60s, winning an Oscar in the 80s for Best Original Score for Round Midnight, and giving the world compositions such as 'Cantaloupe Island' and 'Chameleon' — and 'Rockit', too — after all. Joining Hancock at Jazz at the Bowl are fellow American musician Marcus Miller — who has also worked with Davis; boasts playing on albums by Hancock, Khan, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Frank Sinatra and more; and is making his first trip Down Under — plus Noongar artist Bumpy. In excellent news for folks who won't be in Melbourne on Saturday, October 19, when 2024's Jazz at the Bowl will take place, Hancock has also announced a string of Aussie dates. Before and after hitting up MIJF, he'll play the Sydney Opera House, Canberra Theatre, QPAC Concert Hall in Brisbane, Festival Theatre in Adelaide and Perth's Concert Hall. "Having Herbie Hancock and Marcus Miller perform on the same evening at the iconic Sidney Myer Music Bowl is nothing short of extraordinary," said Melbourne International Jazz Festival Artistic Director Michael Tortoni. "These two icons have shaped the soundscape of modern music in profound ways. Bringing them together in such a historic venue underscores the significance of Jazz at the Bowl and offers our audience a unique experience. It's a celebration of iconoclastic excellence that will resonate for years to come." Herbie Hancock Australian Tour 2024: Friday, October 11–Saturday, October 12 — Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, Sydney Monday, October 14 — Canberra Theatre, Canberra Thursday, October 17 — QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane Saturday, October 19 — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Sunday, October 20 — Festival Theatre, Adelaide Tuesday, October 22 — Concert Hall, Perth [caption id="attachment_964817" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Georgia Mein[/caption] Herbie Hancock's tour of Australia will take place across October. Head to the tour ticketing website for further details, and for ticket presales from 9am on Wednesday, July 10, then general sales from 9am on Thursday, July 11. The 2024 Melbourne International Jazz Festival runs from Friday, October 18–Sunday, October 27 at venues around Melbourne. Head to the festival's website for further details, and for tickets for Herbie Hancock from 1pm on Tuesday, July 9.
Victoria's Hot Chocolate Festival is back again this August. And, like in past years, it's also bringing the decadence to you. Whether you're a Melburnian who can't make it to one of the three venues outside of town, or you're located elsewhere and you really love hot chocolate, the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie, the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie and the Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie are churning out at-home kits filled with creative hot choccie flavours. This year's physical fest boasts a wild range of flavours, with the at-home version following suit. Whichever you choose between Tuesday, August 1–Thursday, August 31, you'll receive couverture flavour-infused melts, a giant marshmallow and interactive elements to add to your choice of hot milk at home. Wondering which inventive flavours will tempt your tastebuds? The full 2023 lineup is as OTT and indulgent as ever — and as tasty. Kicking things off: a nod to Barbie via a pink-infused hot chocolate, as well as an Iced Vovo hot chocolate that features chocolate iced doughnuts for dunking. Or, you can sip on a poached pear and hazelnut version, a dulce de leche churros hot chocolate and a Biscoff hedgehog variety. Pick the Happy Vegemite hot chocolate and you'll get handcrafted caramel koalas to dip — or go for the Harry Potter-inspired hot choc to score a chocolate wand for doing the same. Some flavours come topped with waffles or pretzels. Yes, the list goes on. Only a selection of flavours will be available to make at home, but the ones on offer can be ordered throughout August for $6.50 per single-flavour kit. There's also a flat-rate shipping fee of $15 to anywhere in Australia. Images: A Myszka.
Solar power? Wind power? Sure. But pee power? Human urine serves as an energy source for Melbourne's pop-up Greenhouse restaurant. Open March 2 through to the 21st as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, Greenhouse is the brainchild of Joost Bakker, a designer who has proven that an entirely waste-free restaurant is indeed possible, and is making its debut in Melbourne after appearing in Sydney last year. The restaurant contains custom-built lavatory facilities designed to collect patrons' urine. The urine is then diluted and used as canola and soybean plant fertilizer. Nontraditional and maybe a little off-putting to some, pee collection is a surprisingly effective plant fertilising method. According to Bakker, “Urine is incredible for nitrogen, it’s so valuable — you only need the urine of 25 people to provide fertiliser for a hectare of crop.” Greenhouse boasts other eco-friendly features as well. The building is constructed out of a light gauge steel frame and ECO-ply plywood walls. Held together by glue made entirely of soybeans, the whole structure is 100% recyclable. The restaurant runs on energy generated and fuelled by pure canola oil, and is insulated by locally sourced straw bales, an agricultural by-product. [via Gristlist]
It's one of the world's biggest sporting goods retail brands, found in over 30 countries and dubbed by many as 'the ALDI of activewear'. And now, France's famed Decathlon — which launched an online store here last year and opened its first Sydney store in December last year — is expanding its physical Australian footprint. Two Melbourne stores are due this month, while the brand has just today opened the doors to its second Sydney outlet. Located on Paramatta Road in Auburn in the city's west, the new space is stocked with products relating an impressive 70-plus sports and activities. If it's anything like its Tempe counterpart, it'll boast 7000 sport-related products. Decathlon promises savings galore — so if you've got a sports nut or fitness fiend in your life, put this one at the very top of your Christmas shopping hit-list. When the first Sydney store opened last year, CEO of Decathlon Australia Mr Olivier Robinet said that the company wants to make sport accessible to all locals. "Australians are some of the most active people in the world, the whole country is like a playground," he explained. "Until now many Australians have had to spend hundreds of dollars to get a quality product. Decathlon has now changed this." So how cheap is it? Well, a pair of yoga pants range will set you back between $12 and $40, while a two-person tent is $30. More than just a standard store, Decathlon also features dedicated active zones, where customers can roadtest certain products, and its own community sporting areas, where local sports clubs can host sign-up days, barbecues and fundraising events. The Auburn store officially launches on Tuesday, November 20 — but if you sign up for free membership now and then drop by this weekend during the soft opening, you'll nab a free gift. Find Decathlon at 300 Paramatta Road, Auburn. The store is open from 7am–11pm seven days a week For more info, visit decathlon.com.au. Image: Decathlon via Facebook.
Not content with decking out its outdoor spaces with murals and more, Berlin is boosting its street art game. The German city now boasts its own street art museum — and, in keeping with its status as Europe's graffiti capital, the Urban Nation Museum for Urban Contemporary Art earns the honour of the world's largest street art gallery. Opening its doors on September 16 in Schöneberg in the city's inner south, the five-storey facility features original pieces from more than 100 well-known street artists, such as Shepard Fairey, Evol, 1010, and Icy and Sot. Curated by an international team of experts, and designed to grow and evolve, the site not only displays its art works in the traditional way, but turns its Wilhelminian-era building into a canvas. That means decking out its architectural features and exterior surfaces, including its facade, which will be covered in 8,000-square-foot murals that can be transported, rotated and stored. The nearby train tracks will also be fitted out with installations by more than 30 artists, expanding the museum's influence beyond its walls. Inside, visitors will find a bricks-and-mortar addition in the form of a catwalk stretched across the two-storeys of the building's interior — ensuring that displayed pieces can be properly seen both from a distance and close up. Free to enter and view, in keeping with street art's usual creed, the latest project from Urban Nation continues their efforts to turn Berlin into one huge street art gallery. Well, it continues them and adds a huge street art gallery. That said, the Museum for Urban Contemporary Art mightn't keep its title for too long, with a massive, warehouse-based street art museum currently coming together in Amsterdam for a 2018 launch. Paris also has its own, featuring 150 works; however, Urban Nation director and curator Yasha Young told Conde Nast Traveler that the Berlin gallery, "will be the world's first museum that covers all genres of urban contemporary art, including graffiti, paste-ups, sculptures, acrylic designs, and other forms typically found in cityscapes." For more information, visit the museum website. Via Conde Nast Traveler. Image: Urban Nation.
Here's an easy recipe for a movie, and a TV show as well: take a bunch of famous faces, throw them into the same space, knock off one of their characters and let a couple of them get sleuthing, pointing the finger at everyone else. It worked for Knives Out, gloriously so. It's made Only Murders in the Building a treat across not one but two seasons. And while it hasn't really hit the mark in recent Agatha Christie adaptations Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile — especially the later — the same setup remains intact in both flicks. The next film to give the premise a whirl is new whodunnit See How They Run, which definitely has the star-studded cast part taken care of. As seen in the just-dropped trailer, Sam Rockwell (Richard Jewell) plays veteran detective Inspector Stoppard, while Saoirse Ronan (The French Dispatch) steps into the shoes of enthusiastic newcomer Constable Stalker. And, the case they're tasked with looking into also brings Adrien Brody (Succession), Ruth Wilson (His Dark Materials), Reece Shearsmith (Venom: Let There Be Carnage), Harris Dickinson (The Souvenir: Part II), Shirley Henderson (Stan & Ollie) and David Oyelowo (Chaos Walking) into the mix — and more. Set in 1950s London, and in the West End to be precise, the movie follows the aftermath of a big-name death — a Hollywood director who was set to turn a smash-hit play into a film. Cue Stoppard and Stalker entering the sometimes-glamorous, sometimes-unseemly theatre world, trying to work out who's the killer. Slated to hit cinemas at the end of September, the flick hails from first-time feature director Tom George (TV's Defending the Guilty and This Country), with Mark Chappell (Flaked and The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret) on scripting duties. Then mood: jaunty. The tone: comic. Yes, it's firmly murder-mystery comedy. That's another regular part of the whodunnit equation, of course — turning a shock death and the investigation that follows into an amusing picture, that is. Check out the trailer for See How They Run below: See How They Run opens in cinemas Down under on September 29. Images: Parisa Taghizadeh. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.
It is little wonder that, for many of us, bikes are our preferred means of transport when getting from A to B. They're cheaper, greener, and ensure the health and general perkiness of various muscular groups. Yet while we love our bikes, we rarely share the affection with the cycling paths we ride on — indeed quite the opposite. But that may be about to change. French industrial designer, Ines Le Bihan, has recently developed Bicycle Road, a modular bike path with benefits galore. The Bicycle Road consists of small square-shaped panels which are easily assembled and disassembled, which means they take the labour, disruption and cost out of painting pesky white lines. The Bicycle Road is also well-equipped to deal with seasonal changes and to cope with the natural inclinations of the road. It also promises to be a safer alternative. And Greener. What is not to like about the Bicycle Road — it promises to be a greener, safer, more economical alternative to the less than adequate bike tracks that currently trail around our city street. We may even end up loving our bike tracks as much as our bikes. Maybe.
Unfortunately, it's not an unusual problem. You arrive at your destination, but your bag doesn't. For all the airline staff know, it could have been shuffled off to Zanzibar by now. Or maybe it never even left home. With 90,000 or so flights in the air every day, worldwide, its location could be anyone's guess. In an effort to decrease the frequency of the all-too-common mislaid luggage dilemma, British Airways, in conjunction with Densitron and UK-based creative agency Design Works, have come up with a digital solution. They're currently trialling electronic bag tags, which have the potential to replace the current paper-based system. After checking in, the ticket-holder can use a smartphone to send flight details to the tag (via an app). Then, rather than having to stand in lengthy queues, he or she can drop off his or her bag for scanning. Not only does the electronic bag tag promise to make the tracking of luggage easier, it also means more efficient check-in procedures. Plus, it's reusable. "[The e-tag] is more expensive, but ultimately it is re-usable — you would acquire and use it multiple times," Lewis Freeman, an industrial designer from Designworks told the BBC this week. "The life of the product is up to five years. I imagine the technology would move on faster than the tag would need replacing." If the tags prove to be successful, they'll be publicly available in 2014. [via Hypebeast]
Everyone has an opinion about Aaron Sorkin. Whether it's a gushing adoration for imagining Josh Lyman and Jed Bartlet, an intense frustration for his silver-tongued yet repetitive Sorkinisms, or a disbelief in the fact he can't write a decent female character to save his life (barring CJ Cregg, of course). We've all had arguments about the 52-year-old screenwriter at some point, and his highly criticised HBO drama The Newsroom only intensified the debate. Now, in a discussion at Tribeca Film Festival, Sorkin finally (if not a little begrudgingly) acknowledged its faults. "I’m going to let you all stand in for everyone in the world, if you don’t mind," said Sorkin to a live audience. "I think you and I got off on the wrong foot with The Newsroom and I apologise and I’d like to start over." If only that were possible. The show, soon entering its third and final season, has faced harsh scrutiny since its 2012 premiere for its overt preachiness, malformed relationships between characters, and ultimately for the fact that it's nowhere near as good as The West Wing. “I feel like I’m just now starting to learn how to write it,” Sorkin said. "I wish that I could go back to the beginning of The Newsroom and start again... but I'm feeling really good about how the third season is going." The bulk of his 'apology' went out to the journalists offended by the show's seemingly overt criticism of the modern press. “I think that there’s been a terrible misunderstanding," Sorkin said, sounding a little too much like Gob from Arrested Development. "I did not set the show in the recent past in order to show the pros how it should have been done. That was and remains the furthest thing from my mind. I set the show in the recent past because I didn’t want to make up fake news... I wasn’t trying to and I’m not capable of teaching a professional journalist a lesson. That wasn’t my intent and it’s never my intent to teach you a lesson or try to persuade you or anything.” Every scene from the show ever, would beg to differ. #sorrynotsorry Via Huffington Post.
A Love Supreme is the name of a series of excellent live music party’s hosted by the stylish minds behind Apartment, one of Brisbane’s best boutique clothing stores. With a mix of urban style and a chic metropolitan aesthetic, A Love Supreme manage to create a great, relaxed atmosphere thanks to their laid back approach and eclectic musical tastes. This party will feature a performance from Oddisee and longtime collaborator Olivier Daysoul, who are touring Australia as part of Oddisee's People Hear What They See tour, which is taking them around Australia and New Zealand. Oddisee's debut album touches on his life experiences, his thoughts on world affairs and the personal conflicts and emotions involved with love and growth and combines them with lush instrumentation and harmonic soul. Tickets are on sale now, this is a BYO event and is 18+. Oddisee will be supported by Alex Intas and Gavin Boyd. Tickets can be purchased here or in store at Apartment.
